Are there even worse ultra-processed foods... What are the two 'worst' ones?

Ultra-processed foods, which are stigmatized as "bad foods" that harm health, are associated with heart disease, but the level of risk varies significantly depending on the specific type of food.

The two worst ultra-processed foods are sugary drinks with added sugar or artificial sweeteners and processed meats. On the other hand, items such as bread, cold cereals (products eaten with cold milk), yogurt, and salty snacks were found to have a lower risk of heart disease or to be beneficial to health.

 

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health medical staff in the United States announced this week in the reputable journal Lancet Regional Health the largest and longest study to date on ultra-processed foods and heart health.

 

The researchers first analyzed extensive data tracking over 300,000 American healthcare professionals for 30 years. After adjusting for risk factors such as smoking, family health history, sleep, and exercise, they found that people who consumed the most ultra-processed foods had an 11% higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and a 16% higher likelihood of developing coronary heart disease compared to those who consumed the least.

 

The researchers also combined their findings with 19 other studies for a separate analysis involving approximately 1.25 million adults. Through this, they found that people who consumed the most ultra-processed foods had a 17% higher risk of cardiovascular disease, a 23% higher risk of coronary heart disease, and a 9% higher risk of stroke compared to those who consumed the least.

 

The researchers also analyzed whether a specific type of ultra-processed food is more closely associated with cardiovascular disease.

 

Among the ten categories of ultra-processed foods investigated, two types showed particularly prominent risks. These were sugary drinks (such as carbonated beverages and fruit juices) and processed meat, poultry, and fish products (such as bacon, hot dogs, chicken sausages, breaded fish products, and salami sandwiches).

 

Kenny Mendoza, a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, stated that when these two types are excluded from the data, most of the risks associated with ultra-processed food consumption disappeared.

 

Some types of ultra-processed foods were associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. These include cereals, flavored and flavored yogurts, frozen yogurts and ice cream, as well as salty snacks like popcorn and crackers.

The researchers hypothesized that the reason serials and bread may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease is because they contain relatively high levels of fiber, minerals, phenolic compounds, and other whole grain components.

In the case of yogurt and dairy-based desserts, fortifying them with vitamin B is associated with a reduction in homocysteine levels, an amino acid linked to increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Dairy desserts are generally foods high in saturated fats and sugar, but if they contain probiotic bacteria or short-chain fatty acids, they can contribute to lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.

 

Previous studies have also shown that serial, whole grain bread, and yogurt do not pose a risk or may reduce the risk.

 

Professor Maya Badi Bello of the Department of Nutrition at the University of Rhode Island said to The New York Times, "Processed meats are generally high in sodium and saturated fats, and beverages like soft drinks tend to have high sugar content. On the other hand, whole grain cereals and bread, even if they are ultra-processed foods, can provide important nutrients such as dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamin B."

 

Ultra-processed foods are increasingly expanding their domain in terms of taste, shelf life, and convenience. In the case of Americans, 58% of their daily caloric intake comes from ultra-processed foods. In Korea, this proportion has also reached 26.2% (according to a 2023 Yonsei University College of Medicine study).

 

Therefore, selective consumption is necessary. Experts advise that since there is abundant evidence that processed meats and sugary drinks are harmful to health, reducing or eliminating these foods should be a top priority.

 

Park Hae-sik, Dong-A.com Reporter pistols@donga.com

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If I had to pick the two worst ultra-processed foods, they would be sugar.

Or sweetened beverages with artificial sweeteners and processed meats.

On the other hand, items such as bread, cold cereal (products eaten with cold milk), yogurt, and salty snacks have been shown to be associated with a lower risk of heart disease or to be beneficial for health.

Sweetened beverages with artificial sweeteners and processed meats

They are the main causes of various diseases.

Please try to reduce your intake as much as possible.